SHELLFISH LIMITS APPLY TO YOUR BOAT! Going out for a few days on your boat this summer to bring in a boat load of fresh crab to cook up when you get home? Think again….. A Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) regulation has been brought to our attention by an RBAW member. Apparently it is not legal to carry more than a one day limit of either fish or shellfish in fresh form aboard your boat. Here are the regulations according to the WDFW: WAC 220-56-312 Shellfish ¯ Possession limits. It is unlawful for any one person to possess at any time more than one daily limit of fresh shellfish. Additional shellfish may be possessed in a frozen or processed form. WAC 220-56-145 Possession of gamefish, food fish or shellfish in unlawful condition. Possession aboard a vessel. (1) Fish and shellfish may be cleaned and portioned in the field except sturgeon when sturgeon eggs are in possession. It is unlawful for a fisher to fail to retain proof of compliance with number, species, size, weight, sex, or wild or hatchery origin restrictions, if such restrictions apply, until the fisher is ashore and has finished fishing for the day. This subsection does not apply if the catch is in the process of being prepared for immediate consumption. (3) In Marine Areas 1 through 6 it is unlawful for any person to possess more than one daily limit of fish or shellfish in fresh form while aboard a vessel. The bottom line is you cannot possess more than one daily limit of shellfish in fresh form aboard your vessel regardless of when you caught them. WDFW maintains it would be very difficult for officers to prove that a person did not exceed the daily limit if this prohibition were not in place. Let's assume for the moment that this activity was legal. The officer faced with someone who exceeded the daily limit claiming a catch from the day prior might be able to make a case based on catch record card information, but someone can easily back date the record card. Cooking the crab onboard exempts the person from the fresh shellfish possession limit rule. If the intent is immediate consumption - they may discard the back while in the field - but they have to be done fishing for the day. If they are not going to consume them, then they must maintain proof of size and sex. So even if you cook and freeze, you must retain the backs. Now you know….. Home | About RBAW | Boater News | Events Calendar Our Members | You Can Help | Join RBAW | Contact Us Design & Development by Dan Larsen